VISCO Annamaria

Personal Informations
Prof. Annamaria Visco is Associate Professor for the SSD ING-IND/22 (science and technology of materials) at the Engineering Department of the University of Messina (UniMe) to which she belongs. Ministerial area 09 - Industrial and information engineering (Role of full-time professors) - Competition macro-sector 09/D - CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING. Competition sector 09/D1 - MATERIALS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. ORCID number: 0000-0003-1602-9361. URL for web site: https://www.unime.it/it/persona/annamaria-visco .

Current and Previous positions 31 October 2025 – Appointment to the position of Full Professor at the Department of Engineering (pursuant to Law 240/2010, call dated 17 October 2025, prot. no. 0140760), approved by the academic governing bodies (Academic Senate on 30 October 2025, prot. no. 147610, and Board of Directors on 31 October 2025, prot. no. 148368), on the basis of the qualification obtained on 15 November 2023 (prot. no. 0145944) in the field of Materials Science and Technology, IMAT-01/A (formerly ING-IND/22).
Currently, awaiting to take up the position of full professor.
13/11/2020- has been qualified according to the ASN (Scientific Qualification Nation) to fill the role of Full Professor SC 09/D1, SSD ING-IND/22 (DD 2175/2018)
01/11/2014 – to date, Associate Professor SC 09/D1 SSD ING-IND/22 con DR n. 2477, on 25/09/2014
15/09/1998- Researcher in SSD: ING-IND22 Science and technology of Materials at the Engineering Faculty of Messina University, D.R. of 08/07/1998)
1/07/1997- PhD in “Materials chemistry for especial uses”
September 1992 to December 1992 – Professional consultant at the Institute of Chemistry, University of Reggio Calabria
February 1992 to April 1992 – Professional consultant at the Department of Industrial Chemistry, University of Messina
December 21, 1993 - Specialization in "Chemical Process Technologies", with a score of 50/50.
April 1992 - Qualification as a Chemist
05.December.1991- five years general course in “Chemistry”, graduated with 110/110 cum laude, at the University of Messina – Messina, Italy.

Current personal links:
UNIME https://www.unime.it/it/persona/annamaria-visco
Google scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zycBpugAAAAJ&hl=it
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/annamaria-visco-279687136/
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna-Visco/2
Scopus page: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7003309040

Prizes and awards 1. "Michele De Francesco" Degree Award, 3rd Ed., Kiwanis Inter. Club Messina: supervisor of the best degree thesis, A.A.2004-2005, for "Polymer Science and Technology."
2. "Start Cup 2021" Award, University of Messina, €8,000 prize for the "AG2-padel" project.
3. Special mention-regional context of the “Sicily Innovation Award” promoted by the Department of Productive Activities Sicilian Region, and by “Digitrend” -24.11.2025 for the LIFE RESTART project (PI-UNIME Prof. A.Visco)https://www.unime.it/ricerca/progetti-finanziati/progetti-life/life-restart/premi-menzioni-e-riconoscimenti
4.Among the five finalists of the “European Bioplastics Innovation Award” at European Bioplastics Annual Conference (EBC25), also mentioned in the journal “Polimerica” thanks to the compounds developed in the LIFE RESTART project, formulated by UNIME https://www.unime.it/notizie/menzioni-e-riconoscimenti-la-fabbrica-zero-di-bioplastiche-green-nata-grazie-al-progetto

Teaching activities and PhD supervision Teaching activities at University of Messina, Engineering department:
- 2001/2002-present: Course: "Polymeric Materials for Bioengineering" (or "Science and Technology of Polymeric Materials").
- 2004/2005 - 2021/2022: "Materials and Technologies for Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Module B - Advanced Composite Materials", Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering (formerly "Science and Technology of Polymeric Composite Materials", at Department of Materials Engineering).
- 2022/2023-present: "Biomaterials Engineering", for Industrial Engineering course.
-Member of the Doctoral School in “Engineering” at the University of Messina (formerly called, from the 18th Cycle - 2002/2003 to the present, the 41st Cycle - 2025-2026).
-Scientific supervisor of n.11 doctoral students of the Engineering PhD course.
-from 2023-to date: "Polymer Matrix Nano-composites", for PhD students.
-2001 to 2025: tutor/supervisor of thesis students for more than 45 theses.

National and international collaborations She is PI of collaborations that are documented by scientific publications indexed in international journals:

a) national collaborations:
- Dr. S. Cappello, Dr. L. Genovese - National Research Council: Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM)
- Prof. A. Piperno, Prof. A. Sajia, Dr. M. Cristani, Prof. D. Barreca-Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences - University of Messina
- prof. E. G. Rapisarda - Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties- University of Catania
- Dott. F. Puleio- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging - Messina University
- Dr. D. Rizzo and A. Bombara, orthopedic doctors at IOMI (Orthopedic Institute of Southern Italy (Messina)
- Prof.M. Catauro -Department of Engineering - University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"
- Dr. L. F. Liotta-M.R. Plutino, National Research Council: Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials (ISMN)-CNR, Palermo
- Prof. V. Beghetto - Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems -Ca Foscari University of Venice

b) international collaborations:
- Prof. James Njuguna, Director of Research of School of Engineeing at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen- England with n.3 publications
- prof. Emmanuel Richaud, Universit Arts et Metiers ParisTech, CNRS, Paris, France, with n.1 publication ( at today), actual collaboration, work in progress
- Dott. S. Ronca, Senior Lecture del “Department of Materials”, Holywell Park, Loughborough University -Leicestershire, UK, LE11 3TU, Inghilterra with 2 publications
- Dr. Aleksander Hejna, POZNAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (PUT), Institute of Materials Technology, Poznań, Poland- actual collaboration, work in progress.
See the publications at the links below:
Google scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zycBpugAAAAJ&hl=it
Scopus page: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7003309040

Other work experience Technical-scientific consultancy activities entrusted to private entities:
1. NTM Technology Machining srl - Lamezia Terme (CZ)
Role: PI
Cost €30,000.00
From March 28, 2008 to March 28, 2009
2. Municipality of Milazzo (ME)
Role: PI
Cost €2,196.00
From September 10, 2008 to February 4, 2009
3. Court of Palermo – technical assessments- Estimate No. 2145/2013 R.G
Role: PI
Cost: €1,500.00
From October 1, 2013 to December 27, 2013
4. Court of Palermo – technical assessments- Estimate No. 2145/2013 R.G
Role: PI
b) Cost: €800.00
From January 23, 2014 to April 3, 2014
5. Court of Palermo – technical assessments- Estimate No. 2145/2013 R.G
Role: PI
Cost: €3,128.00
From July 27, 2016 to January 31, 2017
6. EDILIZIA R&P s.r.l. Palermo,
Role: Participant
Cost: €2,296.00
From October 21, 2012 to November 21, 2021
7. EDILIZIA R&P s.r.l. Palermo,
Role: PI
Cost €3,660
Date: March 23, 2022
8. EDILIZIA R&P s.r.l. Palermo,
Role: Participant
Cost €12,810.00
Date June 9, 2022
9. COGESP SRL - Favara (Agrigento),
Role: PI
Date August 22, 2022
Cost €878.40
10. COGESP SRL - Favara (Agrigento),
Role: PI
Cost €878.40
From February 2023 to March 2023

Member of the Technical Scientific Committee (CTS) for the evaluation of PRIN2022 projects of the University of Messina, DD-MUR n. 104 of 02.02.2022, ERC-PE - (appointment protocol n. 01388 55 of 14.10.2025- University of Messina).

Administrative role and position responsibility - Teaching member of the Joint Committee of the UNIME Department of Engineering for the academic years 2017/2018 – 2018/2019, in addition to the members already appointed by Decree No. 101/2018 of May 21, 2018, amended by Decree No. 252/2018 of November 29, 2018:
from October 3, 2019 to July 26, 2020
- Teaching member of the Joint Committee of the UNIME Department of Engineering (winner of the election, following the election process Decree No. 115/2020 of July 14, 2020)
From July 27, 2020 to July 27, 2022

Scientific organisations /Coordination of academic activities Organization and chairman of congress:
- “IX study day in Biomedical Engineering: design of prosthetic materials and clinical application aspects”. 03.07. 2009, Faculty of Engineering, University of Messina;
- “X day of study in Biomaterials and Biomechanics”. 01.07.2011, Faculty of Engineering University of Catania
- “XI day of study in Bioengineering. Clinical-physical and engineering aspects applied to life sciences”. 07.05.2013, Faculty of Engineering Aula Magna. University of Messina
- Member of scientific committee of Congress: Sustainable Wate management in Materials Science, https://swmms2026.com/ Poznan, Poland September 21-23, 2026

Scientific coordination as Scientific responsible for the laboratories:

1. “Polymers, bio-polymers and composites”, Department of Engineering-UNIME https://engineering.unime.it/it/ricerca/laboratori/laboratori-area-industriale-navale

2. MTP-Mechanical Treatment Prototype Engineering Department-UNIME
Described at the link: https://engineering.unime.it/it/ricerca/laboratori/laboratori-area-industriale-navale
Pilot plant for the processing of agri-food waste using the "Mechanical Treatment Prototype", or "MTP", envisaged as part of the LIFE 2021_ENV-IT_LIFE RESTART (LIFE 2021_SAP-ENV-101074314) project for the shredding of pre-treated agri-food wastes, the sieving system with interchangeable sieves to define the desired size. The dehumidification system serves to eliminate residual water and bring it to the desired minimum values. The vacuum system preserves the final product.

Main research topics developed in the laboratories:
- study, design and engineering of polymer and bio-polymeric materials, pure and blended with other plastics or fillers, for bio-medical engineering and for other various applications;
- mechanical and physical characterizations, bulk and surface;
- science, technology, and property-structure correlation in bio-polymers;
- degradation/durability of polymeric, biopolymeric and composite materials.

Editorial activity - Reviewer for newspapers with recognized international prestige, such as: Polymers, Polymer Composites, Materials, Materials Research, European Polymer Journal, Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Journal of Composite Materials, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Materials Today, Lubricants, Fibers and polymers, Polymer testing, International Journal of Polymer analysis and characterization, Journal of thermoplastic composites, Applied science, Nanomaterials, Tribology International, etc..
See the online site (active since 2017 to today): https://publons.com/researcher/1269819/annamaria-visco/
- Associate Editor Emeritus and Member of the Editorial Board of the ISI- International Journal of Polymer analysis and Characterization, Taylor & Francis
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=editorialBoard&journalCode=gpac20
From August 1, 2017 - Present
- Editorial board member of Polymers, MDPI, section "Polymer Analysis"
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers/sectioneditors/PolymerAnalysis
From March 2019 - today
- Guest Editor of the ISI journal "POLYMERS," MDPI for the special issue entitled: "Biomedical Polymer Materials"
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers/special_issues/Biomed
- Guest Editor of the ISI journal "POLYMERS," MDPI for the special issue entitled: "Biomedical Polymer Materials" II”
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers/special_issues/Biomed_II
2020
- Guest editor of the ISI POLYMERS” MDPI journal for the special volume entitled: “Bioplastics to Replace Fossil-Based Plastics—Perspectives for a Circular Economy”
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers/special_issues/CD41AOM065
2025
- Guest Editor of the ISI “POLYMERS” MDPI journal for the special volume entitled: “Recycling of Plastics and Bioplastics: Strategies, Challenges, and Prospects for the Circular Economy”
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers/special_issues/74I0J83921

Membership of scientific societies Associate Member with research assignment at the Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes (CNR-IPCF) in Messina - Project DCM.AD001.057.001 – Polymeric Systems – “SOLARE Group” with research assignment entitled: “Study, design, construction, and chemical-physical and mechanical characterization of polymeric materials”.
Role: PI
Dal 01.01.2017 - 31.dic 2019

Associate Member with research assignment at the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB) in Catania - Project PdGB2020-2022 with research assignment entitled: “Characterization of thermoplastic polymers blended with micro and nanofillers”.
Role: PI
Dal 01.01.2020 - 31.dic 2024

Partecipation to:
AIM- Italian Association of science and technology of Macromolecules - https://www.aim.it/#eventiaim-anchor
Navtec Consortium - https://www.navtecsicilia.it/en/index.php
INSTM Consortium - National Interuniversity Consortium for Materials Science and Technology- https://www.instm.it/default.aspx


 
Fundings (current and past)
1) Year 2026 - Title : TESLA project "Technologies and Research Services for Agri-Food" -
Program: PN RIC 2021–2027, Action: 1.1.3b of QUANTAS. MUR Public Notice n. 307 of 03/18/2025. Identification code: 567_QIIR113b_00023. – Action 1.1.3b – CUP Code B42F26000520005. Duration: 24 months (Start: 1 June 2026, End: 31 May 2028) Total cost: €9,490,013, Coordinator: SAMOTHRACE Foundation.
Person month: 0,12
Funding organization: Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)
Role: participant

2) Year 2026 - Title : SYNERGIA project - "Systems and Sensors for Resilient and Energy Sustainable Agri-Food". Program: PN RIC 2021–2027 (National Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Program). Notice: MUR n. 307 of 18/03/2025 Action: 1.1.2, Reference project: QUANTAS, Identification code: 567_QIIR112_00024, CUP: B49H26000440007 Duration: 1 June 2026 – 31 May 2028, Overall cost: approximately 9 million euros, Coordinator: Foundation SAMOTHRACE.
Person month: 0,36
Funding organization: Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)
Role: participant

3) Year 2025 - Title: Interreg EU Italia Malta- MAESTRI Project - Predictive models of microplastic accumulation in coastal marine areas, effects on biodiversity, and strategies for "Reducing Pollution" (CUP J43C25000350007 - PROJECT CODE C1-2.3-118). Role: deputy PI- UniMe unit deputy PI- UniMe unit deputyDate: 2.05. 2025 – 2.11. 2027 Funding total: 1,512,889.50 € Funding UNIME: 324,520.00 €
Person month: 0,32
Funding organization: European Community
Role: deputy PI- UniMe unit

4) Year 2022 - Title : LIFE RESTART “Reuse of bEer SpenT grAin foR bioplasTics” Role: PI- UniMe unit Date: 1.10.2022 – 31.12. 2026 Funding total: 2,993,735.88 € Funding UNIME: 392,416.08 € https://www.unime.it/ricerca/progetti-finanziati/progetti-life/ https://www.unime.it/ricerca/progetti-finanziati/progetti-life/life-restart/project (LIFE 2021_SAP-ENV-101074314, CUP J43C22000910006)
Person month: 8,78
Funding organization: European Community
Role: PI- UniMe unit

5) Year 2020 - Title : PO-FERS 2017 project measure 1.1.5 (project code: 08ME7219090182) entitled: Innovative Solutions for High Energy Saving Naval Vessels (SI-MARE). CUP G48I18001090007 Role: Participant and Scientific Coordinator of a specific Work Package Date: 16.01. 2020 – 15.07. 2022 link: http://www.navtecsicilia.it/progetti-dettaglio.php?ID=40&ID_CATEGORIA=16 Funding total: 3.995.577,77 € Funding UNIME: 767.190,00 €
Person month: 4
Funding organization: Sicilian Region, through the ERDF Sicily Operational Programme 2007-2013, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FESR).
Role: Participant and Coordinator of the WP4- formulation of hydrophobic and antifouling coatings with biocidal, flame retardant, acoustic/thermal insulation action

6) Year 2019 - Title : PON R&I 2014-2020 project (project code: ARS_164124_ARS01_00293) Axis 2. Action II.1. Blue Growth specialization area entitled: Technology and materials for safe, low-consumption, low-lifecycle-cost vessels and crafts (THALASSA). CUP: B46C18000720005"-date:1.06.2019-30.11.2022 link: http://www.navtecsicilia.it/progetti-dettaglio.php?ID=39&ID_CATEGORIA=14 Funding total: 9.663.046,74 € Funding UNIME: 1.562.386,74 €
Person month: 9,28
Funding organization: Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)
Role: Participant and Scientific Coordinator of the OR4:"Formulation of hydrophobic and antifouling coatings with biocidal, flame retardant, acoustic/thermal insulation action

7) Year 2015 - Title: PRIN2015 (project code: 2015BNWJZT_005): Experimental techniques for the characterization of the effective performance of trabecular morphology structures made by additive manufacturing Role: partecipant Date: 24.01.2017 -23.01.2020 Funding total: 15.088.936,00 €
Person month: 1
Funding organization: MIUR – Ministry of Education, University and Research, within the framework of the PON Research and Competitiveness 2007-2013 program
Role: participant

8) Year 2014 - Title: MIUR 2013-National Program of Research in Antarctica- project title: STRANgE- Integrated physical-biological-mechanical system for the recovery and emergency treatment of oil spills in the Antarctic environment (project code 2013/B4.01) http://antarcticoilspillrecovery.blogspot.it/p/partecipants.html ) Date: 30.12.2013-31.12.2015
Person month: 3
Funding organization: Italian Ministry for the Instruction, University and Research (MIUR)
Role: participant

9) Year 2012 - Title: PON 2007-2013 cod. PON02_00153_2939517 TESEO (High-Efficiency Technologies for On-board Energy and Environmental Sustainability) Date: 01.07.2012 - 31.12.2012 https://www.navtecsicilia.it/progetti-dettaglio.php?ID=29&ID_CATEGORIA=15 Funding total: 15.088.936,00 €
Person month: 2,78
Funding organization: MIUR – Ministry of Education, University and Research, within the framework of the PON Research and Competitiveness 2007-2013 program
Role: participant

10) Year 2012- Title: PO FESR 2007-2013-4.1.2. FESR 2007-2013 linea 4.1.2.A CUP J41J1200011000- Project title: INTEP: Technological and Process Innovation for the Manufacturing Sector, Date: 22.09.2012 -30.06.2015
Person month: 4,8
Funding organization: Sicilian Region, through the ERDF Sicily Operational Programme 2007-2013, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FESR).
Role: participant